5 Fantastic Travel Web Sites You've Never Heard Of
From:
el
147 days 5 hours 15 minutes ago
It used to be that deciding to take a trip was just the beginning of the legwork leading up to departure. But planning your vacation can be a relaxed armchair endeavor if you have the right online travel sites in your back pocket. We’ve sifted through hundreds of options to bring you a few of our favorites that help you arrange to get out of town without getting out of your chair. – Kristin Luna
AirfareWatchdog.comLet’s be real: No one has the time to peruse every airline’s homepage to see what specials are on tap. Good thing the people behind Airfare Watchdog have done just that. Drop by to check out their daily finds from even the low-cost carriers like JetBlue, Southwest, and Virgin America. Or sign up for the daily newsletter, which is a compilation of all current airfare offers (including stipulations) from your home airport on both domestic and international routes. Tip: This pup is most helpful if you either know you want an escape but are flexible on the destination or you have weeks to monitor airfare to your preferred place before booking your ticket.
CouchSurfing.orgWant a free place to lay your head? A fellow nomad with whom to explore your new surroundings? Or just a companion to meet with over coffee? CouchSurfing has it all, arranged neatly in a social-style network of curious travelers like you. The non-profit organization, which allows you to seek a local's advice and even shelter from members in the cities you're visiting, has been in existence since 2003 and has seen more than 300,000 people join from every corner of the globe. If the thought of crashing at the pad of a perfect stranger in a foreign country gives you the heebie-jeebies, fear not: The site relies on member feedback and references of others and recently implemented a three-tier verification system. The CIA is hardly as diligent.
TravBuddy.comIf you want real travel advice from actual travelers, check out TravBuddy. Its members have shared thousands of photographs and travel blogs from places as obscure as Greenland and Mali to common destinations like New York City and London. The user-generated site also features hotel and restaurant reviews and forums where you can request information from your peers. Added bonus: If you opt to join (free of charge) and contribute, you an garner fun and frivolous accolades–like the Happy Happy Happy award for those who dispense a set number of virtual smiles over a given period of time, or the Travelpedian, which is granted to members who edit enough location guides.
Flight001.comOnce you have a plane ticket, recommendations on where to go, and a virtual tour guide to show you the sights, next up: shopping! Flight 001, the “all inclusive, design forward retail experience that satisfies the modern traveler’s every need” offers products that allow you to hit the road in style. Whether your trip calls for a eco-friendly cosmetic case, travel-friendly electronics, or tableless meal kits, Flight 001 takes jet-setting to new heights.
Minimus.bizNo need to settle for those tiny bottles of drugstore grooming aids to comply wiht fit FAA carry-on requirements. Minimus offers myriad preening products in three-ounce or smaller containers, including novelties like pint-sized Evian misters and Static Guard cans. Just don’t forget your regulation ziplock bag for storing your new goodies, lest your toiletries be confiscated and your shopping efforts be in vain.
